SC to use eminent domain to take land from business
“The South Carolina Ports Authority said it will use eminent domain to take land from a Greer business that has called it home for 22 years.
On March 1, both state and federal leaders broke ground on the $30 million inland port that proponents called a game changer for the Upstate.
However, a refrigeration business called Nordic Cold Storage is refusing to relocate from a piece of the property slated to be used for the port.
On Wednesday, the Post and Courier of Charleston reported that members of the authority met by phone and decided to use eminent domain – which allows the government to take private property for public use.
Don Schoenl, president of Nordic, said he was in shock when he learned of the state’s plan. He said the company was told a few months ago it would be welcome to stay, and had discussed expanding. He said a few weeks ago, he spoke with leaders about the fact that he had been losing business since the groundbreaking, and that customers had heard his building would be torn down.”
Barker, Aaron. Fox Carolina 13 March 2013.